Hunter's Creed: Prequel
by Clion818
Summary: These are just some stories on Richard's past, mainly about his time with Connor. No schedule for this just gonna release a new chapter when I get an idea. Most are one-shots unless there is a Pt 2 in the chapter title.
1. Beginnings are Not Always Noble

Richard was 5 years old and lived a simple life with his father and mother. They were not rich or poor, they didn't abuse him or spoil him. They were normal parents and they lived a normal life as a normal family. Well almost normal. Richard's father, Xavier Wulf, was a Faunus, more specifically a wolf Faunus. His mother, Clara Wulf, was human. Richard growing up saw nothing wrong with this, they were his parents and both of them loved him very much. Richard grew up not so normal himself. According to the doctors Richard was more Faunus than human, yet he had no features of a Faunus, no ears, no tail, no claws. He did however have two grey spots in his hair. His parents told him he was special, and that his ears would grow when he grew up, they predicted around the age 10. Non the less they lived together and Richard found himself in a pattern of a life. Since his mother wanted him to become a scholar Richard attend normal school instead of one of the hunter academy's. His schedule went something like this.

Richard woke up to his alarm. It was 6:00am and he got up to go shower. He scrubbed his hair and washed his body. He got dresses in blue jeans and a thin blue sweater with a black shirt under, along with black shoes. He went to the kitchen to find his father with breakfast ready, it varied from cereal to eggs and toast. He sat at the table and his father served him. He ate quietly as his father cleaned the utensils he used for his own breakfast. He finished around 7:00am and went to brush his teeth. Once his teeth were clean he grabbed his backpack and made sure all his need work was there along with essentials for school. Richard and his father left at 7:20am. He was walked to school witch was a 10 minute trip. Once they got there his father stayed with him until class started then Richard was on his own for the day. This was his least favorite part of his day. He liked school and learning, he didn't like the other kids that bullied him. He was picked on for not having ears or a tail like most Faunus and for having grey spots. "Spots!" they'd tease him, treating him like a dog. He ignored most of they're teasing and name calling. Once in the class he enjoyed the thing he learned and excelled in his class. He was one of the quiet kids, but he knew all the answers. After the first session recess came. Richard would look in his backpack and find one of the books he'd been given from his parents. He enjoyed reading the fairy tales and stories of hunters and heroes. He'd sit alone while they other kids played. Sometimes he'd watch and learn how to play, but he never played with anyone. If he tried they go play something else. He just sat and read his story. The bell rang and the next session of class began. Back in the classroom some more work was done and a lesson or two on math or literature. At lunch he always sat alone eating quietly sometimes he'd pull out his book once more and read alone. More time in the classroom, then the school day ended. His mother would come to pick him up and take him home. Once home he'd go to his room and do any homework he was given. Then once that was done he'd once again bring out his book and begin reading. He read at a slow pace and sometimes he read out loud in his room. He'd read and read until he finished or until his father came home. Once his father was home they would eat dinner as a family.

Dinner conversations were mostly between his father and mother. Sometimes they'd ask him about school. He'd give simple answers trying to keep from talking about school. Once he finished dinner he'd put his dish on the counter next to the sink since he didn't reach far enough to place it inside. Then he'd go back to his room. He got ready for bed by showering once more and putting on his pijamas. He'd lay down in bed and wait. His father would come in with a book in hand. Bedtime story was the best part of the day for him especially on this particular night which happened to be Friday, meaning his father would read for longer than usual. He read more advance stories for Richard's age but he didn't mind taking the time to explain words and similes found in the stories. Richard could imagine everything as he slept, if he could be a hunter, a hero, he'd like that but he also would like to please his mother by being a scholar. The stories were enough for him, as long as his father and mother where there with him he enjoyed his life. Tonight he fell asleep to the story about a brave hunter who single handedly took down a giant Nevermore. His dreams followed the stories as he imagined the heroes and monsters they fought. He dreamed and dreamed and enjoyed his sleep.

It was cut off by a sudden awakening. He opened his eyes but they were irritated and he could smell and see smoke in his room. He got down coughing, covering his mouth. He crawled to the door and opened it. He looked down the hall to see a raging fire in his living room. The flames blazed brightly and the heat could be felt all the way down the hall. He called out "Mom!?" no response. "Dad!?" he coughed and no response was heard. Then a crash come from the other end of the hall. Some one came out of the smoke. He was tall and dressed in white robes. He saw Richard and ran to pick him up. He ran straight through the fire and popped out the other side. He put Richard down and went straight back. Richard was standing he comprehend the situation. He just saw his house on fire. He saw the firemen hosing it down. After a short while the same person come back out. His robes where singed and barely any white could be seen. He was wearing a hood so Richard couldn't see his face. He ran away and the firemen moved in closer. It took all night to put out the fire and in the morning Richard sat alone with tears in his eyes.

That day he was taken to the local orphanage. Like that his whole world changed. He didn't have a father or mother or anyone. He was truly alone. The kids in the orphan house didn't make things easier. He was the youngest there, and the others despised him as they said he would have no trouble getting adopted. Richard thought otherwise. He was prepared for life in the orphan house. He didn't know anyone that would be willing to take him in. His papers said he was Faunus so when people saw him they changed they're mind about adoption. Two weeks in the orphanage with no one but the other kids that would bully him. One night Richard was once again called down to see the people interested in his adoption. He walked down to the office with his little suitcase full of his close to see the people would go to ask about adoption. When he entered the room he saw a familiar figure. He wore white robes and Richard could see little patches of black. He turned around and Richard saw his face for the first time. He walked over to him and kneeled down to look Richard in the eye.

"Richard," he began "I'm sorry, I couldn't save them."

"Who are you?" Richard asked.

"My name is Conner, I'm here to take you home, to my home."

"I want to go to my home" Richard mumbled.

"I know you do, and I'm sorry, but...you can't." Conner said putting his head down as if he has failed Richard in some way.

Richard stood there watching Conner. He brought his head back up, "you have a choice Richard, come with me, or stay here, what do you want?"

Richard stood in silence before answering, "I'll go with you."

"Okay then," Conner stood back up and walked over to the reception desk. he filled out some papers before turning back to Richard.

"It's cold tonight, do you have a sweater?" Conner asked him.

Richard shook his head.

Conner thought for a little. Then he picked up Richard, who was pretty small for his age. He said "then we'd better get you one," holding Richard so he sat on his left arm. He picked up Richard's suitcase with his right hand and he walked out the orphanage.

He was, right it was cold tonight. Richard clung to Conner to try and keep warm. He closed his eyes as he buried his face under his shoulder. He felt cold for a while until a sudden warmth was felt and he relaxed. He opened his eyes and saw he was inside. He looked to see a man behind a counter.

"Hello Kyle" Conner greeted.

"Hello Conner, I was just about to close shop, what can I do for you?"

"This little one needs a sweater to keep warm tonight."

"Of course, I'll see what I have."

He went into a room behind the counter and came back out with a white hood.

"Thought you might appreciate the color" He said handing it to Conner.

"The colors fine, thank you" he put down the suitcase and Richard and began to put on the sweatr for him.

"What's your name?" Kyle asked when Richard looked up at him.

"R-Richard" he answered timidly.

"So where'd you find him?" Kyle asked Conner.

"Orphanage, I just adopted him" Conner answered zipping up Richard's sweater.

"Never saw you as the 'father' type" Kyle said.

Conner put some lien on the counter and said "Thank you" and once again picked up Richard and his suitcase. He walked out the shop without saying another word.

The sweater Richard received was warm, he barely felt cold. He put on the hood of the sweater and once again closed his eyes holding on to Conner. He slept before they even walked out of vale.

Richard woke up to Conner slightly shaking him. "We're here" he said opening a door. He walked inside, and closed the door behind him, there was a hallway with many doorways and stairs the lead to a second level.

"This is home now" Conner said with some sadness in his voice. He walked in, carrying Richard still, and went up the stairs. He walked into a plain room with a big bed. He set down Richard's suitcase next to the bed and sat Richard on the bed. He tok off his shoes and laid him down and pulled the covers over him.

"Get some sleep" he said and began to walk out the room.

"wait" Richard said sitting up.

Conner turned to see Richard out of bed and opening his suitcase. He pulled out a book and walked over to Conner. He handed it to him, Conner took it and looked at it, it was a story about a fabled Hunter.

"Can you read it to me?" Richard asked.

Conner starred at the book and then looked at Richard with a slight smile.

"Of course" he answered. Richard scurried back to bed and climbed in. Conner grabbed a chair and sat next to him. He pulled out a match box from the nightstand and light a candle to provide light. He opened the book and began to read.

"Long ago, in the kingdom of Atlas, there lived a Hunter..."


	2. New Tools (Pt 1)

Richard's Age: 10

Richard was in the forrest running. It was a hunting trip gone completely wrong. He was suppose to just bring back three hares, but a large pack of beowolves found him and began to chase him. He wasn't fast enough and could see them on his tail. He decided to try a free-run, they couldn't follow him in the trees. He ran up a sloped tree bark and jumped to a near by branch. He jumped forward and grabbed onto a higher branch to swing, but he over estimated it's strength and it broke. He fell down and tried to recover with a roll, but once he tried to run again he fell forward. His right ankle was in extreme pain for him. He looked back to see a beowolf about to pounce on him. He quickly got up and drew his sword to block, but the beowolf's strike shattered his sword into pieces leaving Richard defenseless. He stumbled back and fell back down. The beowolf let out a growl and he took out his pistol and shot at it. It only grew angrier as it smacked the pistol from Richard's hand. It's face was inches from Richards as it let out a roar. Richard had his eyes closed too scared of what to come next, but in the middle of the beowolf's roar, it stopped. He opened his eyes and saw the beowolf motionless. It fell in front of him revealing his mentor Conner. He stood tall with his tomahawk out covered in blood. He turned to face the rest of the pack. Richard watched still sitting as his mentor sliced through them with ease. He made quick strikes and constantly dodged each strike they tried to make on him. He even countered some of them, using his flintlock to shoot right through their heads afterward. Within minutes the pack was dead and the forrest floor was covered in blood and black fur. Conner turned to see Richard sitting on the floor still, he looked down at where he was standing and could see the shattered remnants of Richard's sword. He looked over where his pistol fell, he walked over and picked it up. He returned to Richard who had his head down as if he failed Conner. Conner simply handed him his pistol and Richard looked up to see his mentor without any sign of disappointment. He grabbed his pistol and sheathed it on his belt. He stood up and Conner began walking back, Richard followed.

They walked for some time until they returned to the homestead. All that time was spent in silence as Richard couldn't say anything after his performance. he was nothing even after his mentor's teachings he couldn't hold his own against a pack of unarmored beowolfs. He was a failure and nothing more. He got his sword broken and he would have died if not for Conner that was the third time he save him, the second being one time he almost fell off a branched that was hung over a cliff, and the first the night he saved him from the fire in his home. Home, the thought of his old life still lingered within him, he knew he would never find another home like that. They entered the mansion and Richard went up to his room without a word. Conner stayed on the first floor and simply went on with the rest of his day.

Richard was in his room laying on his bed facing the ceiling. Why did life do this to him, death should have taken him times before, yet he is still meant to just exist. Nothing would come of him, he'd just be a person living, nothing else.

Conner came into the room, Richard sat up to see his mentor. He had blue prints in his hands.

"I think now would be the beat time to show you these" he said handing them to Richard. He grabbed them and took a look, One was a pistol-tamahawk design, in pistol form the blade for the tomahawk was behind where the hammer of the pistol wen, in tomahawk form the pistol would bend to be straight and the blade would rotate so it looked like a tomahawk. The other design had a bow-sword, the bow was a hybrid of wood and metal, it would fold into a sword.

"What are these for?" he asked Conner.

"They are your new weapons."

Richard looked down at the blue prints once more, the name on the pistol-tamahawk was Chaos, fitting since his current pistol is named Order. The bow-sword had the name Shadow Striker on it. He looked back up at his mentor.

"Take them to Niko tomorrow, he should have everything you need" he said and walked out the room.

Richard looked up at the clock on his wall, 7:56pm. He looked back at the blueprints and thought to himself. He put the blueprints aside and changed into his sleep wear. Then he climbed into bed and slept.

* * *

><p>The next day Richard put on his white pull-over hoodie with blue jeans and went into Vale. He remembered where Niko's gun shop was, he'd been there a few time with Conner.<p>

He walked in and was greeted by Niko, "Richard, surprise seeing you here, no Conner today?"

"No Niko, I actually need some things from you" Richard said jumping on the counter to sit and handing Niko the blue prints.

"You designed these?" Niko said taking a look at them.

"No, Conner did."

"I should have all the parts here, I start you off with Chaos" Niko said then he went into a room behind the counter.

He came back with a standard pistol, a tomahawk blade, and some various parts and tools. Richard had the blue prints at his side and picked up the pistol and began work on his new weapon. He took it slow double checking all his connections. He worked quietly sitting on the counter as people walked in and out of Niko's shop, buying guns, ammunition, armor, etc. He had his hood on and was always looking down at his work.

One girl entered the shop and was at the counter buying sniper rounds. She was a student at Signal Academy.

"Hey, watcha working on?" She asked Richard but he kept his head down and just continued to work.

"Don't mind him deary, he's a bit of a quiet one" Niko said whispering over the counter.

She just stared at him trying to figure out what he was building. Richard finished some extra modifications and pointed Chaos forward looking down the little sight it had. He flicked it up so the pistol barrel folded back to have the entire gun straight, then back down quickly so the blade of the tomahawk swung over and stopped so it now looked more like a tomahawk.

"Wow that so cool!" The girl said. Richard looked over at her. She had silver eyes, short hair, and was wearing a red cape. He looked back at his weapon and transformed it back into its pistol form. He looked back down at it and grabbed a tool to begin more work on it, the blade wasn't tight enough when it was in it's tomahawk form.

"We'll I guess I'll see you around, thanks Niko" She said grabbing the cartridge of sniper rounds.

"Anytime" Niko said as she walked out.

Niko looked over at Richard still working on Chaos. "You know, you could've tried to make friends with her."

Richard just continued to work on his pistol.

*Sigh*"Sometimes i think your too much like Conner" Niko said beginning to clean the counter.

Some more time passed and finally richard felt satisfied with Chaos. He looked at the clock on the wall, 6:36pm, he spent all day working. His stomach growled as he hadn't eaten anything. Niko came out of the back with two bowls, one in each hand.

"Hungry?" he asked placing a bowl next to Richard. Richard sheathed Chaos in hie left holster and picked up the bowl of soup and a spoon and began to eat. It was enough to satisfy Richard and he placed the bowl back down when he was finished and said "thank you" to Niko.

He looked at the blue prints for Shadow Striker.

"I think I'll work on this back at the homestead, mind giving me the parts?" He asked Niko.

"Not at all" he answered. He went back to the room and came back out with a black duffle bag.

"Thanks Niko" and Richard put a small pouch of lien on the counter.

"Not a problem, take care Richard."

Richard grabbed the bag, slung it over his shoulder, and got down from the counter. He grabbed the blue prints and walked out of Niko's shop.

* * *

><p>Back at the Mansion Richard was alone, Conner had gone off on another mission and was still gone. He went behind the stair case and stepped on a chair to pull down a candle holder in the wall. The back of the staircase popped open. Richard got down from the chair and defended down into the basement of the mansion. He went over to a desk and laid out all the parts for Shadow Striker. He rolled open the blue prints and began work on the hybrid bow. He worked all through the night and ended up falling asleep at the desk.<p>

* * *

><p>He woke up to find that he hadn't finished the bow in the time he had last night. He doesn't even remember the time he fell asleep, he looked at a clock on the wall, 12:56pm. He looked back at the work he has done. He finished the blades of the sword that was in two pieces currently. All he had to do was connect the folding pieces and input the locking system, as well as string the bow. He did so with tired eyes and hands. Shaking a little when he tried to sting the bow. He finished at around 3:00pm. He was so tired he couldn't even pull back the bow sting a foot. He brought the bow up to his room and laid down in his bed to sleep some more.<p> 


	3. New Tools (Pt 2)

Richard woke up to the sound of footsteps. He got up and out of his bed, he sheathed his pistols and slung his bow on his back. He went downstairs and found that Conner had returned from his mission.

"Well its good to see you've made them already" Conner said as he gave a quick glance at Richard, he was currently going through some papers on the table.

"What are those for?" Richard ask stepping into the dinning table.

"Nothing, just some old documents" Conner piled the papers into one stack and picked them up. "Now we'll start training with them" Conner threw the papers in the waste bin.

Richard nodded and he went to the basement and waited for Conner. He came after a minute or two and before they fought he inspected the weapons.

"Everything is nice and tight...seems to switch fine" he said inspecting Chaos. "Sharp and straight...Sting isn't too tense" he was examining Shadow Striker. "Well I'd say you did a good job, now we can see what you can do with them."

Richard picked up the weapons and transformed them into a tomahawk and sword. In his right hand he held Chaos and in his left, Shadow Striker. His stance was based on defense holding Shadow Striker in front of Chaos perpendicularly. He kept his knees slightly bent and his elbows out. Conner took a similar stance with his own tomahawk, but instead of a sword he deployed his hidden blade and swiveled it to hold it like a dagger and his tomahawk was held farther back. Conner made the first move swinging his tomahawk from his right. Richard was able to block with his sword. Conner slid his tomahawk down the blade creating sparks and moved back into his stance. Richard now swung around to get momentum and with Chaos he tried to strike downward. Conner blocked with his dagger and tried to strike again with his tomahawk, but Richard once again used his sword to block.

"Not bad" Conner said with a slight grin.

Conner then went for Richard's foot and grabbed it with his tomahawk, he pulled bringing Richard to the ground.

He pointed his tomahawk at him, "still not as good as me though."

Richard got back up and said "Round 2."

The two of them got in their stances and prepared for another fight. Richard went for a slash with his sword, but Conner caught it and pulled it away, bringing Richard with it. Richard was disarmed of his sword and Conner tried to land a hit with his tomahawk, but Richard blocked with his own locking the two together. Conner went for a stab with his dagger, but Richard activated his own hidden blade and blocked it with his let hand. Richard pulled to two locked tomahawks between him and Conner, who went for another stab, this time from above. Richard held back Conner's strike, holding up his arm. This stale mate lasted a few seconds before *Click*. Conner looked down to see the barrel of Chaos was indeed pointed at his chest and he would have been shot if it was loaded.

"Your learning" he said relaxing and ending the stalemate.

They both got back into their starting stance for the last round. Richard went for a downward strike, Conner rolled out of the way. Conner went for a strike in Richard's blind spot, Richard jumped back to see his mentor's tomahawk swing in front of him. Richard moved back and got back in his stance. Conner went for another strike, this time Richard used both his weapons to block. Conner took the opportunity and moved his palm to Richard's side, without his hidden blade active. Richard relaxed knowing that he would have been staged if Conner had his hidden blade out.

"You still have a lot to learn though" Conner said to him.

"What now?" Richard asked sheathing his weapons.

"You still haven't brought any hares back, until then you'll get your next assignment." Conner said handing Richard a mini quiver full of arrows. Richard grabbed it. He walked back up to the main level of the mansion and walked out the door. It was around midday. Richard began to walk to Big Dave's stable to saddle up Silver. He rode out into the forrest on his own once more.

* * *

><p>Richard slowly made his way to the edge of the branch he was standing on, below him he could see a hare nibbling on some plants. Richard pulled out Shadow Striker in it's bow form with his right hand. With his let he took out an arrow from his quiver and extended it. He positioned the arrow and pulled the bow string back ready to fire. He took a deep breath in and let go. Direct hit on the hare, Richard relaxed and exhaled. He jumped down from the branch onto the forrest floor and went to collect his game. He pulled the arrow out of the hare and put it back in his quiver, he held onto the hare by the ears. He heard growling around him. He turned to try and see what it was but all he could catch a glimpse of was a black figure. Richard set down the hare and took out his bow once again with an arrow. He started to hear growling all around him now, these were not normal animals. Something jumped out of a bush in front of him, it was an armored Beowolf. No doubt he had companions and one by one they all jumped in front of Richard until he could see all 6 of them. Richard pulled back his arrow and fired at one, it slashed the arrow out of the air and let out a howl, the others joined him. Richard sheathed Shadow Striker and pulled out Order and Chaos and began unloading on the pack of Beowolfs. They dispersed and began to surround Richard who kept firing at the ones he saw. One tried to strike him from behind but Richard side stepped and the Beowolf went past him. Richard moved Chaos and Order and began to fire at the Beowolf, it tried to move to attack but the unrelenting fire go the best of it and it fell back dead. Another came from the front of Richard, he changed Chaos into a tomahawk and ducked under the beowolf's attack. Richard stuck the beowolf's leg causing it to stumble and it fell to the ground. Before he could finish it another tried to jump on him, he rolled back and kicked it away. He got back up and shot Chaos and Order at the beowolf's in front of him, but only about three shots came from each pistol, he was out of ammo. The one from behind him tried to sneak up on him, but Richard rolled away dodging the attack. He didn't see that he had rolled in front of another beowolf and when he stopped it slashed Richard to the side. Richard was sent flying a few feet away, he could see the four beowolves closing in on him. He sheathed his pistol and took out an arrow, he noticed it had a green glowing tip on it, he was going to take out Shadow Striker but once he saw the arrow he left it on his back. The four got closer and closer and when they where about to finish Richard off, he slammed the arrow into the ground and the beowolves were sent flying back. Richard stood up and drew another arrow, this one had a red tip. He took out Shadow Striker and shot at one of the Beowolves that had been sent flying back, on impact the arrow exploded and the Beowolf was blow into two pieces. He drew another arrow with a blue tip and once again shot it at one of the remaining Beowolves. It froze it completely in ice. Two left Richard took out a yellow tipped arrow and shot it at another Beowolf that had just stood up from the knock back of earlier. On impact the Beowolf began to twitch uncontrollable as yellow static was forming all around it, when the static died down the Beowolf fell forward, dead.<p>

The last Beowolf had gotten behind Richard and slashed him to the side, Richard tumbled across the forrest floor. He tried to get up be he felt a burning pain in his side. He looked down to see blood stains and his cloths ripped, his belt had been cut off as well. He looked forward to see it on the ground not far from the Beowolf. All he had was Shadow Striker on his back and his hidden blades. Richard suddenly felt a power inside him, all of a sudden he grew angry, this anger was from the unfairness of his past, his lost, his failure. All these memories of the past suddenly reappeared in his mind and each one made him grow angrier. He began to glow grey and his wounds at his side slowly began to heal. The Beowolf charged at Richard, but once Richard looked up at it and stared it in the eyes, it stopped on dead in its tracks on all fours just inches away from Richard. Richard's wounds had completely healed and he was staring down a Beowolf that was actually scared of him. He walked closer to it continuing to stare it down. Richard got so close he could see the tiniest scratched on its head. He just stared at it and it didn't do anything. Richard activated his hidden blades and slowly positioned them at the beowolf's neck. The beowolf didn't do anything at this time but stare back at Richard. Them in an instant Richard slammed the hidden blades into its neck and could see the life in it fade away as it fell over on its side. Richard stared at it a while longer, he stopped glowing grey and he stopped feeling angry. He looked at his hands that where red with the blood of the beowolf. He looked over at his belt, it had his mini quiver and two pistols still attached to it. He picked it up and examined the tears caused by the Beowolf. He heard a slight growl and turned to see a Beowolf on the ground crawling. He walked over to it and watch it continue to crawl while bleeding out. Richard took out a normal arrow and slammed it into the Beowolf's head, killing it. He walked over to grab the hare he dropped and continued his hunt in the forrest.

* * *

><p>Conner was sitting at the dinning table in the mansion sipping tea. He was reading an old book from Achilles' collection. He heard the front door opened and close and Richard walked in and placed three hares on the table. His cloths were torn and stained with blood, yet he seemed perfectly fine with no cuts or bruises. Richard simply stared at Conner for a short while then went up to his room. Conner looked at the game Richard brought home. Each hare had a noticeable hole in it signifying the use of an arrow. He simply sat back in his chair and continued to read, wondering, what could have happen to Richard while he was gone.<p> 


End file.
